The actor was surrounded by family when he died Thursday in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at age 82, his publicist and longtime friend Rona Menashe told The Associated Press.

Rogers' army surgeon Trapper John was one of the most beloved characters -- and half of one of the most beloved duos -- in TV history, despite the actor's appearing in only the first three of the show's 11 seasons on CBS.

The two skilled doctors, Hawkeye and Trapper, blew off steam between surgeries pulling pranks, romancing nurses and tormenting their tent-mate Frank Burns, with a seemingly endless supply of booze and one-liners at the ready.

In one classic moment, Trapper reaches out as though he's checking for rain and says, "Hmm, feels like it's going to martini," as Hawkeye promptly passes him a drink.